Comparing climbs on the AT?

[OhioHiker]

I watch a lot of thru hikes on YT and hope to do it myself someday. I hear people talk about the long climbs and big elevation changes but I don’t have anything to relate it to.

The last time i went to one of my favorite places local to me on one of the steep climbs my Apple Watch measured 200 ft gain in .2 miles. If I extrapolate that out, say to 1 mile (x5); 1000 ft gain in 1 mile.

Does it work that way? How does that compare to something I would run into on a thru hike?

Thanks

[LoneStranger]

This thread has lots of info including links to other threads with even more info.

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/141479-Steepest-climbs-on-the-AT

1k in a mile is a climb, but not the worst you will find. Don't let the numbers scare you. I am old and fat, but find that if I keep going I get to the top of even the bad ones. You just have to keep taking another step :)

[noahawaii]

Sure it works that, but knowing how it feels with what you're carrying is different. Definitely want to go ultralight. I'd say just find steep hike in your area on AllTrails and give it a go. You won't know how you feel until you get out and do something longer.

[Dan Roper]

In my experience, 700-feet-per-mile is the benchmark for really, really tough climbing, at least over any distance. 500-feet-per-mile is taxing but okay. Less than that is pretty darned easy.

But things monkey with benchmarks. A thru hiker with hiker legs can handle anything much easier than a section hiker or day hiker. And a big climb late in the day is different from early in the morning. And in cool weather as compared to hot weather. Etc. There are so many factors.

Albert Mountain in North Carolina is famous for its steepness, but at only 1/3rd of a mile, I found the scramble up fun. On the other hand, Jacob's Ladder (Sweetwater Cliffs) is a mile climb and came late in the day and is the most difficult climb I remember on the first 830 miles of the AT. For the same reason, I found the approach to Dragons Tooth in Virginia very challenging because it came at the end of a long day that was at the end of six long days. Most people probably gallop and gambol over that stretch.

[peakbagger]

Pretty simple there is south of Glencliff NH and there is North of Glencliff;) All rules and postulations developed south Glencliff need to be thrown as soon the AT starts climbing Moosilaukee.

[HankIV]

[QUOTE You just have to keep taking another step :)[/QUOTE]

Right ther is the secret to success, in hiking and life in general!

[garlic08]

I helped flag a multi-use trail for new construction and the max slope criterion was 8%, or 400 ft/mile. Anything over 10% is considered hard.

Some of the "climbing trails" on the Colorado 14ers climb 5000' in five miles, usually including some rock scrambling. That's closer to 20%, and they're not sustainable or maintainable unless built with steps or ladders, like parts of the AT.

[OhioHiker]

Sure it works that, but knowing how it feels with what you're carrying is different. Definitely want to go ultralight. I'd say just find steep hike in your area on AllTrails and give it a go. You won't know how you feel until you get out and do something longer.

Absolutely. I am at around 12lbs baseweight now with a 20* quilt, Less if I take my 50* and leave the Helinox chair at home. I can’t tell you how many times I pass people of all ages on the trail with 70L bags full with stuff strapped to the outside, I feel bad for them.


In my experience, 700-feet-per-mile is the benchmark for really, really tough climbing, at least over any distance. 500-feet-per-mile is taxing but okay. Less than that is pretty darned easy.

But things monkey with benchmarks. A thru hiker with hiker legs can handle anything much easier than a section hiker or day hiker. And a big climb late in the day is different from early in the morning. And in cool weather as compared to hot weather. Etc. There are so many factors.

Albert Mountain in North Carolina is famous for its steepness, but at only 1/3rd of a mile, I found the scramble up fun. On the other hand, Jacob's Ladder (Sweetwater Cliffs) is a mile climb and came late in the day and is the most difficult climb I remember on the first 830 miles of the AT. For the same reason, I found the approach to Dragons Tooth in Virginia very challenging because it came at the end of a long day that was at the end of six long days. Most people probably gallop and gambol over that stretch.

I am always astounded at the speed thru hikers achieve. I hike at about 2mph average. It’s hard to believe they go at 3mph over just about any terrain. Though to be fair a thru hiker probably has a very dialed in “system”, on trail snacks, potty breaks, clothing changes…. I general have to stop longer than they would to do those tasks.

Even then, their speed is very impressive! Especially when one of my favorite overnighters is a 12mile loop that I split up into two days. Lol. That’s an easy morning for most….

[atraildreamer]

I watch a lot of thru hikes on YT and hope to do it myself someday. I hear people talk about the long climbs and big elevation changes but I don’t have anything to relate it to.

The last time i went to one of my favorite places local to me on one of the steep climbs my Apple Watch measured 200 ft gain in .2 miles. If I extrapolate that out, say to 1 mile (x5); 1000 ft gain in 1 mile.

Does it work that way? How does that compare to something I would run into on a thru hike?

Thanks

I did an article, that was presented in several parts, that showed the elevations and grades of the AT. You can also download PDFs of the various sections. The mileages may have changed since the article was first posted, but the mountains are still in the same place. Here are the links to the various parts of the article:

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/839-Appalachian-Trail-Elevations-by-States-and-Sections-Georgia-and-North-Carolina

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/837-Appalachian-Trail-Elevations-by-States-and-Sections-Virginia

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/838-Appalachian-Trail-Elevations-by-States-and-Sections-Tennessee-North-Carolina-and-Tennessee

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/836-Appalachian-Trail-Elevations-by-States-and-Sections-West-Virginia-Maryland-and-Pennsylvania

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/834-Appalachian-Trail-Elevations-by-States-and-Sections-New-Jersey-New-York-Connecticut-and-Massachusetts

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/830-Appalachian-Trail-Elevations-by-States-and-Sections-Vermont-and-New-Hampshire

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/829-Appalachian-Trail-Elevations-by-States-and-Sections-Maine


(https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/829-Appalachian-Trail-Elevations-by-States-and-Sections-Maine)

[JPritch]

In my experience, 700-feet-per-mile is the benchmark for really, really tough climbing, at least over any distance. 500-feet-per-mile is taxing but okay. Less than that is pretty darned easy.

I would agree with this. On the AT, the Priest SOBO is considered one of the toughest climbs in the South and is 3K' in 4 miles, so 750'/mile. For comparison, I used to hike ski resorts in the offseason back when I was training for Spartan Race, and the Black Diamond slopes were roughly 1000' per mile.

[somers515]

Thought this was an interesting article about steep climbs on the AT, PCT and CDT:

https://faroutguides.com/steepest-climbs-at-pct-cdt/

For the AT, according to the this article, sections of . . .

5. Katahdin
4. Garfield
3. South Twin
2. Kinsman
1. Wildcat

[LoneStranger]

That .8 mile climb up South Twin is a very good reason to consider going SOBO or FF. :)

Great views at the bottom, great views at the top, but between those two points there is pain.

[RockDoc]

When I spent my first summer on the AT in 1974, my hiker friends agreed that 1000 ft/mile was a reasonably tough climb. The climb from Harpers Ferry up the Weaverson Cliffs is a good example. The AT has a lot of these. Get used to it.